Chapter V: Book I: The Boy and the Mantle (1)

No incident is more common in romantic fiction, than the employment of some magical contrivance as a test of conjugal fidelity, or of constancy in love. In some romances of the Round Table, and tales founded upon them, this experiment is performed by means either of an enchanted horn, of such properties that no dishonoured husband or unfaithful wife can drink from it without spilling, or of a mantle which will fit none but chaste women. The earliest known instances of the use of these ordeals are afforded by the _Lai du Corn_, by Robert Bikez, a French minstrel of the twelfth or thirteenth century, and the _Fabliau du Mantel Mautaille_, which, in the opinion of a competent critic, dates from the second half of the thirteenth century, and is only the older lay worked up into a new shape. (Wolf, _Ueber die Lais_, 327, sq., 342, sq.) We are not to suppose, however, that either of these pieces presents us with the primitive form of this humorous invention. Robert Bikez tells us that he learned his story from an abbot, and that "noble ecclesiast" stood but one further back in a line of tradition which curiosity will never follow to its source. We shall content ourselves with noticing the most remarkable cases of the use of these and similar talismans in imaginative literature.

In the _Roman de Tristan_, a composition of unknown antiquity, the frailty of nearly all the ladies at the court of King Marc is exposed by their essaying a draught from the marvellous horn, (see the English _Morte Arthur_, Southey's ed. i. 297.) In the _Roman de Perceval_, the knights, as well as the ladies, undergo this probation. From some one of the chivalrous romances Ariosto adopted the wonderful vessel into his _Orlando_, (xlii. 102, sq., xliii. 31, sq.,) and upon his narrative La Fontaine founded the tale and the comedy of _La Coupe Enchantee_. In German, we have two versions of the same story,--one, an episode in the _Krone_ of Heinrich vom Tuerlein, thought to have been borrowed from the _Perceval_ of Chretien de Troyes, (_Die Sage vom Zauberbecher_, in Wolf, _Ueber die Lais_, 378,) and another, which we have not seen, in Bruns, _Beitraege zur kritischen Bearbeitung alter Handschriften_, ii. 139; while in English, it is represented by the highly amusing "bowrd," which we are about to print, and which we have called _The Horn of King Arthur_. The forms of the tale of the Mantle are not so numerous. The _fabliau_ already mentioned was reduced to prose in the sixteenth century, and published at Lyons, (in 1577,) as _Le Manteau mal taille_, (Legrand's _Fabliaux_, 3d ed., i. 126,) and under this title, or that of _Le Court Mantel_, is very well known. An old fragment (_Der Mantel_) is given in Haupt and Hoffmann's _Altdeutsche Blaetter_, ii. 217, and the story is also in Bruns _Beitraege_. Lastly, we find the legends of the horn and the mantle united, as in the German ballad _Die Ausgleichung_, (_Des Knaben Wunderhorn_, i. 389,) and in the English ballad of _The Boy and The Mantle_, where a magical knife is added to the other curiosities. All three of these, by the way, are claimed by the Welsh as a part of the _insignia_ of Ancient Britain, and the special property of Tegau Eurvron, the wife of Caradog with the strong arm. (Jones, _Bardic Museum_, p. 49.)

In other departments of romance, many other objects are endowed with the same or an analogous virtue. In Indian and Persian story, the test of innocence is a red lotus-flower; in _Amadis_, a garland, which fades on the brow of the unfaithful; in _Perceforest_, a rose. The _Lay of the Rose_ in _Perceforest_, is the original (according to Schmidt) of the much-praised tale of Senece, _Camille, ou la Maniere de filer le parfait Amour_, (1695,)--in which a magician presents a jealous husband with a portrait in wax, that will indicate by change of color the infidelity of his wife,--and suggested the same device in the twenty-first novel of Bandello, (Part First,) on the translation of which in Painter's _Palace of Pleasure_, (vol. ii. No. 28,) Massinger founded his play of _The Picture_. Again, in the tale of _Zeyn Alasman and the King of the Genii_, in the _Arabian Nights_, the means of proof is a mirror, that reflects only the image of a spotless maiden; in that of the carpenter and the king's daughter, in the _Gesta Romanorum_, (c. 69,) a shirt, which remains clean and whole as long as both parties are true; in _Palmerin of England_, a cup of tears, which becomes dark in the hands of an inconstant lover; in the _Fairy Queen_, the famous girdle of Florimel; in _Horn and Rimnild_ (Ritson, _Metrical Romances_, iii. 301,) as well as in one or two ballads in this collection, the stone of a ring; in a German ballad, _Die Krone der Koenigin von Afion_, (Erlach, _Volkslieder der Deutschen_, i. 132,) a golden crown, that will fit the head of no incontinent husband. Without pretending to exhaust the subject, we may add three instances of a different kind: the Valley in the romance of _Lancelot_, which being entered by a faithless lover would hold him imprisoned forever; the Cave in _Amadis of Gaul_, from which the disloyal were driven by torrents of flame; and the Well in _Horn and Rimnild_, (_ibid._) which was to show the shadow of Horn, if he proved false.

In conclusion, we will barely allude to the singular anecdote related by Herodotus, (ii. 111,) of Phero, the son of Sesostris, in which the experience of King Marc and King Arthur is so curiously anticipated. In the early ages, as Dunlop has remarked, some experiment for ascertaining the fidelity of women, in defect of evidence, seems really to have been resorted to. "By the Levitical law," (_Numbers_ v. 11-31,) continues that accurate writer, "there was prescribed a mode of trial, which consisted in the suspected person drinking water in the tabernacle. The mythological fable of the trial by the Stygian fountain, which disgraced the guilty by the waters rising so as to cover the laurel wreath of the unchaste female who dared the examination, probably had its origin in some of the early institutions of Greece or Egypt. Hence the notion was adopted in the Greek romances, the heroines of which were invariably subjected to a magical test of this nature, which is one of the few particulars in which any similarity of incident can be traced between the Greek novels and the romances of chivalry." See DUNLOP, _History of Fiction_, London, 1814, i. 239, sq.; LEGRAND, _Fabliaux_, 3d ed., i. 149, sq., 161; SCHMIDT, _Jahrbuecher der Literatur_, xxix. 121; WOLF, _Ueber die Lais_, 174-177; and, above all, GRAESSE'S _Sagenkreise des Mittelalters_, 185, sq.

_The Boy and the Mantle_ was "printed verbatim" from the Percy MS., in the _Reliques of Ancient English Poetry_, iii. 38.

In the third day of May,
To Carleile did come
A kind curteous child,
That cold much of wisdome.

A kirtle and a mantle 5
This child had uppon,
With brouches[L7] and ringes
Full richelye bedone.

He had a sute of silke
About his middle drawne; 10
Without he cold of curtesye,
He thought itt much shame.

"God speed thee, King Arthur,
Sitting at thy meate:
And the goodly Queene Guenever 15
I cannott her forgett,

"I tell you, lords, in this hall,
I hett[L18] you all to heede,
Except you be the more surer,
Is you for to dread." 20

He plucked out of his poterner,[L21]
And longer wold not dwell;
He pulled forth a pretty mantle,
Betweene two nut-shells.

"Have thou here, King Arthur, 25
Have thou heere of mee;
Give itt to thy comely queene,
Shapen as itt is alreadye.

Itt shall never become that wiffe,
That hath once done amisse:"-- 30
Then every knight in the kings court
Began to care for his[L32].

Forth came dame Guenever;
To the mantle shee her hied[L34];
The ladye shee was newfangle, 35
But yett shee was affrayd.

When shee had taken the mantle,
She stoode as shee had beene madd:
It was from the top to the toe,
As sheeres had itt shread. 40

One while was it gule[L41],
Another while was itt greene;
Another while was it wadded;
Ill itt did her beseeme.

Another while was it blacke, 45
And bore the worst hue:
"By my troth," quoth King Arthur,
"I think thou be not true."

She threw down the mantle,
That bright was of blee; 50
Fast, with a rudd redd,
To her chamber can shee flee.

She curst the weaver and the walker
That clothe that had wrought,
And bade a vengeance on his crowne 55
That hither hath itt brought.

"I had rather be in a wood,
Under a greene tree,
Then in King Arthurs court
Shamed for to bee." 60

Kay called forth his ladye,
And bade her come neere;
Saies, "Madam, and thou be guiltye,
I pray thee hold thee there."

Forth came his ladye, 65
Shortlye and anon;
Boldlye to the mantle
Then is shee gone.

When she had tane the mantle,
And cast it her about, 70
Then was shee bare
'Before all the rout.'

Then every knight,
That was in the kings court,
Talked, laughed,[L75] and showted 75
Full oft att that sport.

Shee threw downe the mantle,
That bright was of blee;
Fast, with a red rudd,
To her chamber can shee flee. 80

Forth came an old knight,
Pattering ore a creede,
And he proferred to this litle boy
Twenty markes to his meede,

And all the time of the Christmasse, 85
Willinglye to ffeede;
For why, this mantle might
Doe his wiffe some need.

When she had tane the mantle,
Of cloth that was made, 90
Shee had no more left on her,
But a tassell and a threed:
Then every knight in the kings court
Bade evill might shee speed.

Shee threw downe the mantle, 95
That bright was of blee;
And fast, with a redd rudd,
To her chamber can shee flee.

Craddocke called forth his ladye,
And bade her come in; 100
Saith, "Winne this mantle, ladye,
With a little dinne.

Winne this mantle, ladye,
And it shal be thine,
If thou never did amisse 105
Since thou wast mine."

Forth came Craddockes ladye,
Shortlye and anon;
But boldlye to the mantle
Then is shee gone. 110

When she had tane the mantle,
And cast it her about,
Upp at her great toe
It began to crinkle and crowt:
Shee said, "Bowe downe, mantle, 115
And shame me not for nought.

Once I did amisse,
I tell you certainlye,
When I kist Craddockes mouth
Under a greene tree; 120
When I kist Craddockes mouth
Before he marryed mee."

When shee had her shreeven,
And her sines shee had tolde,
The mantle stoode about her 125
Right as shee wold,

Seemelye of coulour,
Glittering like gold:
Then every knight in Arthurs court
Did her behold. 130

Then spake dame Guenever
To Arthur our king;
"She hath tane yonder mantle
Not with right[L134], but with wronge.

See you not yonder woman, 135
That maketh her self soe 'cleane'[L136]?
I have seene tane out of her bedd
Of men fiveteene;

Priests, clarkes, and wedded men
From her, bydeene: 140
Yett shee taketh the mantle,
And maketh her self cleane."

Then spake the little boy,
That kept the mantle in hold;
Sayes, "King, chasten thy wiffe, 145
Of her words shee is to bold:

Shee is a bitch and a witch,
And a whore bold:
King, in thine owne hall
Thou art a cuckold." 150

The little boy stoode
Looking out a dore;
'And there as he was lookinge
He was ware of a wyld bore.'

He was ware of a wyld bore, 155
Wold have werryed a man:
He pulld forth a wood kniffe,
Fast thither that he ran:
He brought in the bores head,
And quitted him like a man. 160

He brought in the bores head,
And was wonderous bold:
He said there was never a cuckolds kniffe
Carve itt that cold.

Some rubbed their knives 165
Uppon a whetstone:
Some threw them under the table,
And said they had none.

King Arthur and the child
Stood looking them upon; 170
All their knives edges
Turned backe againe.

Craddocke had a little knive
Of iron and of steele;
He britled[L175] the bores head 175
Wonderous weele,
That every knight in the kings court
Had a morssell.

The little boy had a horne,
Of red gold that ronge: 180
He said there was "noe cuckolde
Shall drinke of my horne,
But he shold it sheede,
Either behind or beforne."

Some shedd on their shoulder, 185
And some on their knee;
He that cold not hitt his mouthe,
Put it in his eye:
And he that was a cuckold
Every man might him see. 190

Craddocke wan the horne,
And the bores head:
His ladie wan the mantle
Unto her meede.
Everye such a lovely ladye 195
God send her well to speede.

MS. Ver. 7, branches.

V. 18, heate.

V. 21, poterver.

MS. V. 32, his wiffe.

V. 34, bided.

V. 41, gaule.

MS. Ver. 75, lauged.

MS. Ver. 134, wright.

V. 136, cleare.

MS. V. 175, Or birtled.

THE HORN OF KING ARTHUR.

MS. Ashmole, 61, fol. 59 to 62.

This amusing piece was first published entire in Hartshorne's _Ancient Metrical Tales_, p. 209, but with great inaccuracies. It is there called _The Cokwolds Daunce_. A few extracts had previously been given from the MS., in the Notes to _Orfeo and Heurodis_, in Laing's _Early Popular Poetry of Scotland_. Mr. Wright contributed a corrected edition to Karajan's _Fruehlingsgabe fuer Freunde aelterer Literatur_. That work not being at the moment obtainable, the Editor was saved from the necessity of reprinting or amending a faulty text, by the kindness of J.O. Halliwell, Esq., who sent him a collation of Hartshorne's copy with the Oxford manuscript.

All that wyll of solas lere,
Herkyns now, and [z]e schall here,
And [z]e kane vnderstond;
Off a bowrd I wyll [z]ou schew,
That ys full gode and trew, 5
That fell some tyme in Ynglond.

Kynge Arthour was off grete honour,
Off castellis and of many a toure,
And full wyde iknow;
A gode ensample I wyll [z]ou sey, 10
What chanse befell hym one a dey;
Herkyn to my saw!

Cokwoldes he louyd, as I [z]ou ply[z]t;
He honouryd them, both dey and nyght,
In all maner of thyng; 15
And as I rede in story,
He was kokwold sykerly;
Ffor sothe it is no lesyng.

Herkyne, seres, what I sey;
Her may [z]e here solas and pley, 20
Iff [z]e wyll take gode hede;
Kyng Arthour had a bugyll horn,
That ever mour stod hym be forn,
Were so that ever he [z]ede.

Ffor when he was at the bord sete, 25
Anon the horne schuld be fette[L26],
Ther off that he myght drynk;
Ffor myche crafte he couth thereby,
And ofte tymes the treuth he sey;
Non other couth he thynke. 30

Iff any cokwold drynke of it,
Spyll he schuld, withouten lette;
Therfor thei wer not glade;
Gret dispyte thei had therby,
Because it dyde them vilony, 35
And made them oft tymes sade.

When the kyng wold hafe solas,
The bugyll was fett[L38] into the plas,
To make solas and game;
And then changyd the cokwoldes chere; 40
The kyng them callyd ferre and nere,
Lordynges, by ther name.

Than men myght se game inow[z]e,
When every cokwold on other leu[z]e,
And [z]it thei schamyd sore: 45
Where euer the cokwoldes wer sought,
Befor the kyng thei were brought,
Both lesse and more.

Kyng Arthour than, verament,
Ordeynd, throw hys awne assent, 50
Ssoth as I [z]ow sey,
The tabull dormounte withouten lette;
Ther at the cokwoldes wer sette,
To have solas and pley.

Ffor at the bord schuld be non other 55
Bot euery cokwold and his brother[L56];
To tell treuth I must nedes;
And when the cokwoldes wer sette,
Garlandes of wylos sculd be fette,
And sett vpon ther hedes. 60

Off the best mete, withoute lesyng,
That stode on bord befor the kyng,
Both ferr and nere,
To the cokwoldes he sente anon,
And bad them be glad euerychon, 65
Ffor his sake make gode chere.

And seyd, "Lordyngs, for [z]our lyues,
Be neuer the wrother with [z]our wyues,
Ffor no manner of nede:
Off women com duke and kyng; 70
I [z]ow tell without lesyng,
Of them com owre manhed.

So it befell sertenly,
The duke off Glosseter com in hy[z]e,
To the courte with full gret my[z]ht; 75
He was reseyued at the kyngs palys,
With mych honour and grete solas,
With lords that were well dyg[z]ht.

With the kyng ther dyde he dwell,
Bot how long I can not tell, 80
Therof knaw I non name;
Off kyng Arthour a wonder case,
Frendes, herkyns how it was,
Ffor now begynes game.

Vppon a dey, withouten lette, 85
The duke with the kyng was sette,
At mete with mykill pride;
He lukyd abowte wonder faste,
Hys syght on euery syde he caste
To them that sate besyde. 90

The kyng aspyed the erle anon,
And fast he low[z]he the erle vpon,
And bad he schuld be glad;
And yet, for all hys grete honour,
Cokwold was Kyng Arthour, 95
Ne galle non he had.

So at the last, the duke he brayd,
And to the kyng thes wordes sayd[L98];
He myght no longer forbere;
"Syr, what hath thes men don, 100
That syche garlondes thei were vpon?
That skyll wold I lere."

The kyng seyd the erle to,
"Syr, non hurte they haue do,
Ffor this was thru[z]h a chans. 105
Sertes thei be fre men all,
Ffor non of them hath no gall;
Therfor this is ther penans.

"Ther wyves hath ben merchandabull,
And of ther ware compenabull; 110
Methinke it is non herme;
A man of lufe that wold them craue,
Hastely he schuld it haue,
Ffor thei couth not hym wern.

"All theyr wyves, sykerlyke, 115
Hath vsyd the backefysyke[L116],
Whyll thes men were oute;
And ofte they haue draw that draught,
To vse well the lechers craft,
With rubyng of ther toute. 120

"Syr," he seyd, "now haue I redd;
Ete we now, and make vs glad,
And euery man fle care;"
The duke seyd to hym anon,
"Than be thei cokwoldes, everychon;" 125
The kyng seyd, "hold the there."

The kyng than, after the erlys word,
Send to the cokwolds bord,
To make them mery among,
All manner of mynstralsy, 130
To glad the cokwolds by and by
With herpe, fydell, and song:

And bad them take no greffe,
Bot all with loue and with leffe,
Euery man ...[L135] with other; 135
Ffor after mete, without distans,
The cockwolds schuld together danse,
Euery man with hys brother.

Than began a nobull game:
The cockwolds together came 140
Befor the erle and the kyng;
In skerlet kyrtells over one,
The cokwoldes stodyn euerychon,
Redy vnto the dansyng.

Than seyd the kyng in hye, 145
"Go fyll my bugyll hastely,
And bryng it to my hond.
I wyll asey with a gyne
All the cokwolds that her is in;
To know them wyll I fond." 150

Than seyd the erle, "for charyte,
In what skyll, tell me,
A cokwold may I know?"
To the erle the kyng ansuerd,
"Syr, be myn hore berd, 155
Thou schall se within a throw."

The bugyll was brought the kyng to hond.
Then seyd the kyng, "I vnderstond,
Thys horne that [z]e here se,
Ther is no cockwold, fer ne nere, 160
Here of to drynke hath no power,
As wyde as Crystiante,

"Bot he schall spyll on euery syde;
Ffor any cas that may betyde,
Schall non therof avanse." 165
And [z]it, for all hys grete honour,
Hymselfe, noble kyng Arthour,
Hath forteynd syche a chans.

"Syr erle," he seyd, "take and begyn."
He seyd; "nay, be seynt Austyn, 170
That wer to me vylony;
Not for all a reme to wyn,
Befor you I schuld begyn,
Ffor honour off my curtassy."

Kyng Arthour ther he toke the horn, 175
And dyde as he was wont beforn,
Bot ther was [z]it gon a gyle:
[L178]He wend to haue dronke of the best,
Bot sone he spyllyd on hys brest,
Within a lytell whyle. 180

The cokwoldes lokyd iche on other,
And thought the kyng was their own brother,
And glad thei wer of that:
"He hath vs scornyd many a tyme,
And now he is a cokwold fyne, 185
To were a cokwoldes hate."

The quene was therof schamyd sore;
Sche changyd hyr colour lesse and more,
And wold haue ben a wey.
Therwith the kyng gan hyr behold, 190
And seyd he schuld neuer be so bold,
The soth agene to sey.

"Cokwoldes no mour I wyll repreue,
Ffor I ame ane, and aske no leue,
Ffor all my rentes and londys. 195
Lordyngs, all now may [z]e know
That I may dance in the cokwold row,
And take [z]ou by the handes."

Than seyd thei all at a word,
That cokwoldes schuld begynne the bord, 200
And sytt hyest in the halle.
"Go we, lordyngs, all [and] same,
And dance to make vs gle and game,
Ffor cokwolds have no galle."

And after that sone anon, 205
The kyng causyd the cokwolds ychon
To wesch withouten les;
Ffor ought that euer may betyde,
He sett them by hys awne syde,
Vp at the hy[z]e dese. 210

The kyng hymselff a gurlond fette;
Uppon hys hede he it sette,
Ffor it myght be non other,
And seyd, "Lordyngs, sykerly,
We be all off a freyry; 215
I ame [z]our awne brother.

"Be Jhesu Cryst that is aboffe,
That man aught me gode loffe
That ley by my quene:
I wer worthy hym to honour, 220
Both in castell and in towre,
With rede, skerlet and grene.

"Ffor him he helpyd, when I was forth,
To cher my wyfe and make her myrth;
Ffor women louys wele pley; 225
And therfor, serys, have [z]e no dowte
Bot many schall dance in the cokwoldes rowte,
Both by nyght and dey.

"And therefor, lordyngs, take no care;
Make we mery; for nothing spare; 230
All brether in one rowte."
Than the cokwoldes wer full blythe,
And thankyd God a hundred syth,
Ffor soth withouten dowte.

Every cokwold seyd to other, 235
"Kyng Arthour is our awne brother,
Therfor we may be blyth:"
The erle off Glowsytur verament,
Toke hys leve, and home he wente,
And thankyd the kyng fele sythe. 240

Kyng Arthour lived at Karlyon[L241],
With hys cokwolds euerychon,
And made both gam and gle:
* * * * *
* * * * *
* * * * *[L243]

A knyght ther was withouten les,
That seruyd at the kyngs des, 245
Syr Corneus hyght he;
He made this gest in hys gam,
And named it after hys awne name,
In herpyng or other gle.

And after, nobull kyng Arthour 250
Lyued and dyed with honour,
As many hath don senne,
Both cokwoldes and other mo:
God gyff vs grace that we may go
To heuyn! Amen, Amen.

26, sette. See 59, 211.

38, sett.

56, brothers.

98, spake.

115, MS. baskefysyke.

135, word wanting.

178, Bot he.

241, left at Skarlyon.

243, Three lines omitted in MS.

FRAGMENT OF THE MARRIAGE OF SIR GAWAINE.

From Percys _Reliques_, iii. 403.

This is one of the few ballads contained in the Percy MS., which we have the pleasure of possessing as it is there written. Having first submitted an improved copy, "with large conjectural supplements and corrections," Percy added this old fragment at the end of the volume: "literally and exactly printed, with all its defects, inaccuracies, and errata," in order, as he triumphantly remarks, "that such austere antiquaries as complain that the ancient copies have not been always rigidly adhered to, may see how unfit for publication many of the pieces would have been, if all the blunders, corruptions, and nonsense of illiterate reciters and transcribers had been superstitiously retained, without some attempt to correct and amend them."

"This ballad," the Editor of the _Reliques_ goes on to say, "has most unfortunately suffered by having half of every leaf in this part of the MS. torn away; and, as about nine stanzas generally occur in the half-page now remaining, it is concluded that the other half contained nearly the same number of stanzas." The story may be seen, unmutilated and in an older form, in Madden's _Syr Gawayne_, p. 298, _The Weddynge of Syr Gawen and Dame Ragnell_.

The transformation on which the story turns is found also in Chaucer's _Wife of Bath's Tale_, in Gower's tale of _Florent and the King of Sicily's Daughter_; (_Confessio Amantis_, Book I.) in the ballad of _King Henry_ (page 147 of this volume); and in an Icelandic saga of the Danish king Helgius, quoted by Scott in his illustrations to _King Henry, Minstrelsy_, iii. 274.

Voltaire has employed the same idea in his _Ce qui plait aux Dames_, but whence he borrowed it we are unable to say.

Worked over by some ballad-monger of the sixteenth century, and of course reduced to dish-water, this tale has found its way into _The Crown Garland of Golden Roses_, Part I. p. 68 (Percy Society, vol. vi.), _Of a Knight and a Faire Virgin_.

Kinge Arthur liues in merry Carleile,
And seemely is to see;
And there he hath with him Queene Genever,
That bride so bright of blee.

And there he hath with him Queene Genever, 5
That bride soe bright in bower;
And all his barons about him stoode,
That were both stiffe and stowre.

The King kept a royall Christmasse,
Of mirth & great honor; 10
... when ...
[_About nine stanzas wanting._]

"And bring me word what thing it is
That women[L13] most desire;
This shalbe thy ransome, Arthur," he sayes,
"For Ile haue no other hier." 15

King Arthur then held vp his hand,
According thene as was the law;
He tooke his leaue of the baron there,
And homword can he draw.

And when he came to merry Carlile, 20
To his chamber he is gone;
And ther came to him his cozen, Sir Gawaine,
As he did make his mone.

And there came to him his cozen, Sir Gawaine[L24],
That was a curteous knight; 25
"Why sigh you soe sore, vnckle Arthur," he said,
"Or who hath done thee vnright?"

"O peace! o peace! thou gentle Gawaine,
That faire may thee beffall;
For if thou knew my sighing soe deepe, 30
Thou wold not meruaile att all.

"Ffor when I came to Tearne-wadling,
A bold barron there I fand;
With a great club vpon his backe,
Standing stiffe & strong. 35

"And he asked me wether I wold fight
Or from him I shold be gone;
Or else[L38] I must him a ransome pay,
And soe depart him from.

"To fight with him I saw noe cause, 40
Me thought it was not meet;
For he was stiffe and strong with all;
His strokes were nothing sweete.

"Therefor this is my ransome, Gawaine,
I ought to him to pay; 45
I must come againe, as I am sworne,
Vpon the Newyeers day.

"And I must bring him word what thing it is
[_About nine stanzas wanting._]

Then King Arthur drest him for to ryde,
In one soe riche array, 50
Towards the foresaid Tearne-wadling,
That he might keepe his day.

And as he rode over a more,
Hee see a lady, where shee sate,
Betwixt an oke and a greene hollen; 55
She was clad in red scarlett.

Then there as shold have stood her mouth,
Then there was sett her eye;
The other was in her forhead fast,
The way that she might see. 60

Her nose was crooked, & turnd outward,
Her mouth stood foule a-wry;
A worse formed lady then shee was,
Neuer man saw with his eye.

To halch vpon him, King Arthur, 65
This lady was full faine;
But King Arthur had forgott his lesson,
What he shold say againe.

"What knight art thou," the lady sayd,
"That wilt not speake to me? 70
Of me [be] thou nothing dismayd,
Tho I be vgly to see.

"For I haue halched you curteouslye,
And you will not me againe;
Yett I may happen, Sir knight," shee said, 75
"To ease thee of thy paine."

"Giue thou ease me, lady," he said,
"Or helpe me any thing,
Thou shalt haue gentle Gawaine, my cozen,
And marry him with a ring." 80

"Why if I helpe thee not, thou noble King Arthur,
Of thy owne hearts desiringe,
Of gentle Gawaine....
[_About nine stanzas wanting._]

And when he came to the Tearne-wadling,
The baron there cold he finde[L85]; 85
With a great weapon on his backe,
Standinge stiffe and stronge.

And then he tooke King Arthurs letters in his hands,
And away he cold them fling;
And then he puld out a good browne sword, 90
And cryd himselfe a king.

And he sayd, "I haue thee, & thy land, Arthur,
To doe as it pleaseth me;
For this is not thy ransome sure,
Therfore yeeld thee to me." 95

And then bespoke him noble Arthur,
And bade him hold his hand[L97];
"And give me leave to speake my mind,
In defence of all my land."

He said, "as I came over a[L100] more, 100
I see a lady, where shee sate,
Betweene an oke & a green hollen;
Shee was clad in red scarlette.

"And she says a woman will haue her will,
And this is all her cheef desire; 105
Doe me right, as thou art a baron of sckill,
This is thy ransome, & all thy hyer."

He sayes, "an early vengeance light on her!
She walkes on yonder more;
It was my sister, that told thee this, 110
She is a misshapen hore.

"But heer Ile make mine avow to God,
To do her an euill turne;
For an euer I may thate fowle theefe get,
In a fyer I will her burne." 115

[_About nine stanzas wanting._]

THE SECOND PART.

Sir Lancelott, & Sir Steven, bold,
They rode with them that day;
And the formost of the company,
There rode the steward Kay.

Soe did Sir Banier, & Sir Bore, 120
Sir Garrett with them, soe gay;
Soe did Sir Tristeram, that gentle knight,
To the forrest, fresh & gay.

And when he came to the greene forrest,
Vnderneath a greene holly tree, 125
Their sate that lady in red scarlet,
That vnseemly was to see.

Sir Kay beheld this ladys face,
And looked vppon her suire,--
"Whosoeuer kisses this lady," he sayes, 130
"Of his kisse he stands in feare!"

Sir Kay beheld the lady againe,
And looked vpon her snout;
"Whosoeuer kisses this lady," he saies,
"Of his kisse he stands in doubt!" 135

"Peace, cozen Kay," then said Sir Gawaine,
"Amend thee of thy life;
For there is a knight amongst us all,
That must marry her to his wife."

"What! wedd her to wiffe," then said Sir Kay, 140
"In the diuells name anon,
Get me a wiffe whereere I may,
For I had rather be slaine!"

Then some[L144] tooke vp their hawkes in hast,
And some tooke vp their hounds; 145
And some sware they wold not marry her,
For citty nor for towne.

And then bespake him noble King Arthur,
And sware there, "by this day,
For a litle foule sight & misliking, 150
[_About nine stanzas wanting._]

Then shee said, "choose thee, gentle Gawaine,
Truth as I doe say;
Wether thou wilt haue me in this liknesse,
In the night, or else in the day."

And then bespake him gentle Gawaine, 155
With one soe mild of moode;
Sayes, "well I know what I wold say,
God grant it may be good!

"To haue thee fowle in the night,
When I with thee shold play-- 160
Yet I had rather, if I might,
Haue thee fowle in the day."

"What, when lords goe with ther feires[L163]," shee said,
"Both to the ale and wine;
Alas! then I must hyde my selfe, 165
I must not goe withinne."

And then bespake him gentle Gawaine,
Said, "Lady, thats but a skill;
And because thou art my owne lady,
Thou shall haue all thy will." 170

Then she said, "blessed be thou, gentle Gawaine,
This day that I thee see;
For as thou see me att this time,
From hencforth I wil be.

"My father was an old knight, 175
And yett it chanced soe,
That he married a younge lady,
That brought me to this woe.

"Shee witched me, being a faire young lady,
To the greene forrest to dwell; 180
And there I must walke in womans liknesse,
Most like a feeind of hell.

"She witched my brother to a carlist b....
[_About nine stanzas wanting._]

That looked soe foule, and that was wont
On the wild more to goe. 185
"Come kisse her, brother Kay," then said Sir Gawaine,
"And amend the of thy liffe;
I sweare this is the same lady
That I marryed to my wiffe."

Sir Kay kissed that lady bright, 190
Standing vpon his ffeete;
He swore, as he was trew knight,
The spice was neuer soe sweete.

"Well, cozen Gawaine," sayes Sir Kay,
"Thy chance is fallen arright; 195
For thou hast gotten one of the fairest maids,
I euer saw with my sight."

"It is my fortune," said Sir Gawaine;
"For my vnckle Arthurs sake,
I am glad as grasse wold be of raine, 200
Great joy that I may take."

Sir Gawaine tooke the lady by the one arme,
Sir Kay tooke her by the tother;
They led her straight to King Arthur,
As they were brother and brother. 205

King Arthur welcomed them there all,
And soe did lady Geneuer, his queene;
With all the knights of the Round Table,
Most seemly to be seene.

King Arthur beheld that lady faire, 210
That was soe faire & bright;
He thanked Christ in Trinity
For Sir Gawaine, that gentle knight.

Soe did the knights, both more and lesse, 220
Rejoyced all that day,
For the good chance that hapened was
To Sir Gawaine and his lady gay.

13, Y^e a woman.

24, Cawaine.

38, O else.

85, srinde.

97, hands.

100, The.

144, soome.

163, seires.

KING ARTHUR'S DEATH.

A FRAGMENT.

_Reliques of English Poetry_, iii, 67.

"The subject of this ballad is evidently taken from the old romance _Morte Arthur_, but with some variations, especially in the concluding stanzas; in which the author seems rather to follow the traditions of the old Welsh Bards, who 'believed that King Arthur was not dead, but conveied awaie by the Fairies into some pleasant place, where he should remaine for a time, and then returne againe and reign in as great authority as ever.' (Holinshed, B. 5, c. 14.) Or, as it is expressed in an old chronicle printed at Antwerp, 1493, by Ger. de Leew: 'The Bretons supposen, that he [King Arthur] shall come yet and conquere all Bretaigne, for certes this is the prophicye of Merlyn, He sayd, that his deth shall be doubteous; and sayd soth, for men thereof yet have doubte, and shullen for ever more,--for men wyt not whether that he lyveth or is dede.' See more ancient testimonies in Selden's Notes on Polyolbion, Song 3.

"This fragment, being very incorrect and imperfect in the original MS., hath received some conjectural emendations, and even a supplement of three or four stanzas composed from the romance of _Morte Arthur_." PERCY.

* * * * *

On Trinitye Mondaye in the morne,
This sore battayle was doom'd to bee,
Where manye a knighte cry'd, Well-awaye!
Alacke, it was the more pittie.

Ere the first crowinge of the cocke, 5
When as the kinge in his bed laye,
He thoughte Sir Gawaine[L7] to him came,
And there to him these wordes did saye.

"Nowe, as you are mine unkle deare,
And as you prize your life, this daye 10
O meet not with your foe in fighte;
Putt off the battayle, if yee maye.

"For Sir Launcelot is nowe in Fraunce,
And with him many an hardye knighte:
Who will within this moneth be backe, 15
And will assiste yee in the fighte."

The kinge then call'd his nobles all,
Before the breakinge of the daye;
And tolde them howe Sir Gawaine came,
And there to him these wordes did saye. 20

His nobles all this counsayle gave,
That earlye in the morning, hee
Shold send awaye an herauld at armes,
To aske a parley faire and free.

Then twelve good knightes King Arthur chose,
The best of all that with him were, 25
To parley with the foe in field,
And make with him agreement faire.

The king he charged all his hoste,
In readinesse there for to bee; 30
But noe man sholde noe weapon sturre,
Unlesse a sword drawne they shold see.

And Mordred, on the other parte,
Twelve of his knights did likewise bringe,
The beste of all his companye, 35
To holde the parley with the kinge.

Sir Mordred alsoe charged his hoste,
In readinesse there for to bee;
But noe man sholde noe weapon sturre,
But if a sworde drawne they shold see. 40

For he durste not his unkle[L41] truste,
Nor he his nephewe[L42], sothe to tell;
Alacke! it was a woefulle case,
As ere in Christentye befelle.

But when they were together mette, 45
And both to faire accordance broughte,
And a month's league betweene them sette,
Before the battayle sholde be foughte,

An addere crept forth of a bushe,
Stunge one o' the king's knightes on the knee; 50
Alacke! it was a woefulle chance,
As ever was in Christentie.

When the knighte found him wounded sore,
And sawe the wild-worme hanginge there,
His sworde he from his scabberde drewe; 55
A piteous case, as ye shall heare.

For when the two hostes sawe the sworde,
They joyned battayle instantlye;
Till of so manye noble knightes,
On one side there were left but three. 60

For all were slaine that durst abide,
And but some fewe that fled awaye:
Ah mee! it was a bloodye fielde,
As ere was foughte on summer's daye.

Upon King Arthur's own partye, 65
Onlye himselfe escaped there,
And Lukyn Duke of Gloster free,
And the king's butler Bedevere.

And when the king beheld his knightes
All dead and scattered on the molde, 70
The teares fast trickled downe his face;
That manlye face in fight so bolde.

"Nowe reste yee all, brave knights," he said,
"Soe true and faithful to your trust:
And must yee then, yee valiant hearts, 75
Be lefte to moulder into dust!

"Most loyal have yee been to mee,
Most true and faithful unto deathe:
And, oh! to rayse yee up againe,
How freelye could I yield my breathe! 80

"But see, the traitor's yet alive!
Lo where hee stalkes among the deade!
Nowe bitterlye he shall abye,
And vengeance fall upon his head."

"O staye, my liege," then sayd the duke; 85
"O staye for love and charitie;
Remember what the vision spake,
Nor meete your foe, if it may bee."

"O staye mee not, thou worthye wight,
This debt my loyal knights I owe: 90
Betide me life, betide me death,
I will avenge them of their foe."

Then straite he grasp'd his trustye speare,
And on his horse then mounted hee:
As his butler holpe him to his horse, 95
His bowels gushed to his knee.

"Alas!" then sayd the noble king,
"That I should live this sight to see!
To see this good knight here be slaine,
All for his love in helping mee!" 100

He put his speare into his reste,
And to Sir Mordred loud gan crye;
"Nowe sette thyself upon thy guarde,
For, traitor, nowe thy death is nye."

Sir Mordred lifted up his sworde, 105
And fierce to meet the king ran hee:
The king his speare he through him thrust,
A fathom thorow his bodie.

When Mordered felt the stroke of death,
And found that he was wounded soe, 110
He thruste himselfe upon the speare,
And strucke the king a deadlye blowe.

Then grimmlye dyed Sir Mordered,
Presentlye upon that tree:
And bloody streames ranne from the kinge, 115
Ere to the duke returned hee.

Sir Lukyn then he thus bespake:
"Sir knighte, thou hast been faithfulle tryde;
Nowe take my sword Excalibar[L119],
That hangs so freelye by my syde, 120

"O take my sword Excalibar,
And there into the river throwe:
For here, henceforth, benethe this tree,
All use of weapons I foregoe.

"And fare thee well, thou trustye sword, 125
A better neer had valiant knighte;
With thee full ofte, and many a daye,
Have I withstood my foe in fighte.

"With this good fauchion in my hande,
Oft have I reapd the bloody feelde: 130
But nowe the fatalle houre is come,
That never more I may thee weelde."

The duke to the river side he went,
And there his owne sword in threwe he;
But he kept back Excalibar, 135
He kept it back in privitie.

For all of coleyne was the blade,
And all the hilte of precious stone:
"And ever alacke!" then sayd the knighte,
"Must such a sword awaye be throwne?" 140

Then backe he came unto the kinge,
Who sayd, "Sir Lukyn, what did yee see?"
"Nothing, my liege, save that the winde
Blewe oer the waters faire and free."

"O goe againe," then said the kinge, 145
"O good Sir Lukyn, goe againe:
Into the rivere throwe my sword,
Nor keepe me lingering here in paine."

The duke then to the river went,
And the kings scabbard in threwe hee; 150
But hee kept backe Excalibar,
And hid it undernethe a tree.

Then backe he came to tell the kinge,
Who sayde, "Sir Lukyn, sawe ye oughte?"
"Nothinge, my liege, save that the winde 155
Nowe with the angrye waters fought."

"O Lukyn, Lukyn," said the kinge,
"Twice haste thou dealt deceytfullye:
Alacke, whom may wee ever truste,
When suche a knighte soe false can bee! 160

"Saye, wouldst thou have thy master dead,
All for a sword that wins thine eye?
Now goe againe, and throwe it in,
Or here the one of us shall dye."

The duke, all shent with this rebuke, 165
No aunswere made unto the kinge;
But to the rivere tooke the sworde,
And threwe it far as he coulde flinge.

A hande and an arme did meete the sworde,
And flourishd three times in the air; 170
Then sunke benethe the renninge streme,
And of the duke was seene noe mair.

All sore astonied stood the duke,
He stood as still, as still mote bee;
Then hastend backe to tell the kinge, 175
But he was gone from under the tree.

But to what place, he cold not tell,
For never after hee did him see;
But hee sawe a barge goe from the land,
And hee heard ladyes howle and crye. 180

And whether the kinge were there, or not,
Hee never knewe, nor ever colde;
For from that sad and direfulle daye,
Hee never more was seene on molde.

7. Sir Gawaine had been killed at Arthur's landing on his return from abroad. See the next ballad, ver. 73. P.

41, 42, the folio MS. reads father ... sonne.

119. More commonly called _Caliburn_. In the folio MS. _Escalberd_. P.

THE LEGEND OF KING ARTHUR.

_Reliques of English Poetry_, iii. 76.

"We have here a short summary of King Arthur's History as given by Jeff. of Monmouth and the old Chronicles, with the addition of a few circumstances from the romance _Morte Arthur_.--The ancient chronicle of Ger. de Leew (quoted above in p. 40,) seems to have been chiefly followed: upon the authority of which we have restored some of the names which were corrupted in the MS., and have transposed one stanza, which appeared to be misplaced: _viz._, that beginning at v. 49, which in the MS. followed v. 36.

"Printed from the Editor's ancient folio MS."
PERCY.

Of Brutus'[L1] blood, in Brittaine borne,
King Arthur I am to name;
Through Christendome and Heathynesse
Well knowne is my worthy fame.

In Jesus Christ I doe beleeve; 5
I am a Christyan bore;
The Father, Sone, and Holy Gost,
One God, I doe adore.

In the four hundred ninetieth yeere[L9],
Oer Brittaine I did rayne, 10
After my Savior Christ his byrth,
What time I did maintaine

The fellowshipp of the Table Round,
Soe famous in those dayes;
Whereatt a hundred noble knights 15
And thirty sat alwayes:

Who for their deeds and and martiall feates,
As bookes done yett record,
Amongst all other nations
Wer feared through the world. 20

And in the castle off Tyntagill
King Uther mee begate,
Of Agyana[L23], a bewtyous ladye,
And come of 'hie'[L24] estate.

And when I was fifteen yeere old, 25
Then was I crowned kinge:
All Brittaine, that was att an uprore,
I did to quiett bringe;

And drove the Saxons from the realme,
Who had opprest this land; 30
All Scotland then, throughe manly feates,
I conquered with my hand.

Ireland, Denmarke, Norwaye,
These countryes wan I all;
Iseland, Gotheland, and Swetheland; 35
And made their kings my thrall.

I conquered all Gallya,
That now is called France;
And slew the hardye Froll in feild[L39],
My honor to advance. 40

And the ugly gyant Dynabus[L41],
Soe terrible to vewe,
That in Saint Barnards mount did lye,
By force of armes I slew.

And Lucyus, the emperour of Rome, 45
I brought to deadly wracke;
And a thousand more of noble knightes
For feare did turne their backe.

Five kinges of Pavye I did kill[L49]
Amidst that bloody strife; 50
Besides the Grecian emperour,
Who alsoe lost his liffe.

Whose carcasse I did send to Rome,
Cladd poorlye on a beere;
And afterward I past Mount-Joye 55
The next approaching yeere.

Then I came to Rome, where I was mett
Right as a conquerour,
And by all the cardinalls solempnelye
I was crowned an emperour. 60

One winter there I made abode,
Then word to mee was brought,
Howe Mordred had oppressed the crowne,
What treason he had wrought

Att home in Brittaine with my queene: 65
Therfore I came with speede
To Brittaine backe, with all my power,
To quitt that traitorous deede;

And soone at Sandwiche I arrivde,
Where Mordred me withstoode: 70
But yett at last I landed there,
With effusion of much blood.

For there my nephew Sir Gawaine dyed,
Being wounded in that sore
The whiche Sir Lancelot in fight 75
Had given him before.

Thence chased I Mordered away,
Who fledd to London right,
From London to Winchester, and
To Cornewalle tooke his flyght. 80

And still I him pursued with speed,
Till at last wee mett;
Wherby an appointed day of fight
Was there agreed and sett:

Where we did fight, of mortal life 85
Eche other to deprive,
Till of a hundred thousand men
Scarce one was left alive.

There all the noble chivalrye
Of Brittaine tooke their end: 90
O see how fickle is their state
That doe on fates[L92] depend!

There all the traiterous men were slaine,
Not one escapte away;
And there dyed all my vallyant knightes 95
Alas! that woefull day!

Two and twenty yeere I ware the crowne
In honor and great fame,
And thus by death was suddenlye
Deprived of the same. 100

1. MS., Bruitehis.

9, He began his reign A.D. 515, according to the Chronicles.

23, She is named _Igerna_ in the old Chronicles.

24, his, MS.

39, Froland field, MS. Froll, according to the Chronicles, was a Roman knight, governor of Gaul.

41, Danibus, MS.

49, see p. 134, v. 55.

92, feates, MS.

SIR LANCELOT DU LAKE.

This ballad first occurs in the _Garland of Good Will_, and is attributed to Thomas Deloney, whose career as a song-writer extends from about 1586 to 1600. It is merely a rhymed version of a passage in the _Morte D'Arthur_, (Book vi. ch. 7, 8, 9, of Southey's ed.) The first two lines are quoted in the Second Part of Henry IV., A. ii. sc. 4.

The present text is nearly that of the _Garland of Good Will_ (Percy Society, vol. xxx. p. 38), and differs considerably from that of Percy, (_Reliques_, i. 215.) The same, with very trifling variations, is found in _Old Ballads_, (1723,) ii. 21; Ritson's _Ancient Songs_, ii. 188; Evans's _Old Ballads_, ii. 5.

When Arthur first in court began,
And was approved king,
By force of arms great victories won,
And conquests home did bring;

Then into Britain straight he came, 5
Where fifty good and able
Knights then repaired unto him,
Which were of the Round Table;

And many justs and tournaments
Before them there were drest, 10
Where valiant knights did then excel,
And far surmount the rest.

But one Sir Lancelot du Lake,
Who was approved well,
He in his fights and deeds of arms, 15
All others did excel.

When he had rested him a while,
To play, to game, and sport,
He thought he would go try himself,
In some adventurous sort. 20

He armed rode in forest wide,
And met a damsel fair,
Who told him of adventures great,
Whereto he gave good ear.

"Why should I not?" quoth Lancelot tho, 25
"For that cause I came hither."
"Thou seem'st," quoth she, "a goodly knight,
And I will bring thee thither

"Whereas a[L29] mighty knight doth dwell,
That now is of great fame; 30
Therefore tell me what knight thou art,
And then what is your name."

"My name is Lancelot du Lake."
Quoth she, "it likes me than;
Here dwells a knight that never was 35
O'ermatch'd[L36] with any man;

"Who has in prison threescore knights
And four, that he has bound;
Knights of King Arthur's court they be,
And of his Table Round." 40

She brought him to a river side,
And also to a tree,
Whereon a copper bason hung,
His fellows[L44] shields to see.

He struck so hard, the bason broke: 45
When Tarquin heard the sound,
He drove a horse before him straight,
Whereon a knight lay bound.

"Sir knight," then said Sir Lancelot,
"Bring me that horse-load hither, 50
And lay him down, and let him rest;
We'll try our force together.

"And as I understand, thou hast,
So far as thou art able,
Done great despite and shame unto 55
The knights of the Round Table."

"If thou be of the Table Round"
(Quoth Tarquin, speedilye),
"Both thee and all thy fellowship
I utterly defie." 60

"That's overmuch," quoth Lancelot tho;
"Defend thee by and by."
They put their spurs unto their steeds,
And each at other fly.

They coucht their spears, and horses ran 65
As though there had been thunder;
And each struck them amidst the shield,
Wherewith they broke in sunder.

Their horses backs brake under them.
The knights were both astound; 70
To void their horses they made great haste,
To light upon the ground.

They took them to their shields full fast,
Their swords they drew out than;
With mighty strokes most eagerly 75
Each one at other ran.

They wounded were, and bled full sore,
For breath they both did stand,
And leaning on their swords awhile,
Quoth Tarquin, "Hold thy hand, 80

"And tell to me what I shall ask;"
"Say on," quoth Lancelot tho;
"Thou art," quoth Tarquin, "the best knight
That ever I did know;

"And like a knight that I did hate; 85
So that thou be not he,
I will deliver all the rest,
And eke accord with thee."

"That is well said," quoth Lancelot then;
"But sith it must be so, 90
What is the knight thou hatest thus?[L91]
I pray thee to me show."

"His name is Lancelot du Lake,
He slew my brother dear;
Him I suspect of all the rest; 95
I would I had him here."

"Thy wish thou hast, but yet unknown;
I am Lancelot du Lake!
Now knight of Arthur's Table Round,
King Ban's son of Benwake;[L100] 100

"And I desire thee do thy worst."
"Ho! ho!" quoth Tarquin tho,
"One of us two shall end our lives,
Before that we do go.

"If thou be Lancelot du Lake, 105
Then welcome shalt thou be;
Wherefore see thou thyself defend,
For now defie I thee."

They buckled then together so,
Like two wild boars rashing, 110
And with their swords and shields they ran
At one another slashing.[L112]

The ground besprinkled was with blood,
Tarquin began to faint;
For he gave back, and bore his shield 115
So low, he did repent.

This soon espied[L117] Sir Lancelot tho;
He leapt upon him then,
He pull'd him down upon his knee,
And rushed[L120] off his helm. 120

And then he struck his neck in two;
And when he had done so,
From prison, threescore knights and four
Lancelot delivered tho.

29, the.

36, E'er match'd.

44, fellow.

92, so.

100, Kind Haud's son of Seuwake.

112, flashing.

117, 'spied.

120, rushing.

THE LEGEND OF SIR GUY.

(Percy's _Reliques_, iii. 143.)

"Published from an ancient MS. copy in the Editor's old folio volume, collated with two printed ones, one of which is in black-letter in the Pepys collection." PERCY.

An inferior copy is printed in Ritson's _Ancient Songs and Ballads_, ii. 193.